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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551681">Yes Ma'am</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiders_n/pseuds/spiders_n'>spiders_n</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Fruit of Boredom - Quarantine 2k20 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baby Pepperony, Banter, F/M, Fluff, Imagine me writing straight characters?, Pepper is too because i'm the author and I said so, Tony has been in love with Pepper since she walked into his life, Yes Tony is queer-coded, idk how your honor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:21:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiders_n/pseuds/spiders_n</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper's been Tony's long-suffering assistant for nearly two years now and she's starting to realize she likes suffering with him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pepper Potts/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Fruit of Boredom - Quarantine 2k20 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1682332</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Yes Ma'am</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>September 3rd, 2000</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not doing it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You absolutely are. It has been on the books for 10 months, Tony. We’re not arguing about this, I’m telling you where you’re going and you’re listening to me.” Pepper’s face is calm, even if she can feel herself getting impatient. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony quirks an eyebrow at that, eyes moving up to meet hers from where he’d previously been focusing on something that Pepper supposes could be an engine, though to what, she can’t be sure. “I thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> worked for </span>
  <em>
    <span>me,</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t that why I'm signing my name on your checks every other week? You can’t just order me to go to events, that’s not how this works.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is exactly how this works. You’re paying me to keep you alive and to keep you from missing important events that affect the multi-billion dollar company you supposedly run,” Pepper snaps back. “It’s all very clearly stated in my contract next to my yearly salary and the frankly hilariously incorrect hours I’m apparently allowed to keep.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That sounds like a lie. Jarvis is that a lie?” Tony asks, not breaking eye contact with Pepper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is not, Sir. As usual, Miss Potts is correct, you have in fact employed her for the express purpose of having her ensure you’re in attendance at important events,” The A.I. supplies helpfully and Tony pulls a face at the nearest camera. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jarvis, please start sending Tony daily reminders of how frequently I am correct. He keeps forgetting and it’s beginning to get very time consuming to have this back and forth,” Pepper chirps, the ends of her mouth forming a tiny smirk and Jarvis confirms her request. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony turns his glare to her. “No, absolutely not. You may not use my A.I. against me. He’s the only one I trust around here. The rest of you have ulterior motives.” He points an accusatory screwdriver at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper nods, rolling her eyes as she turns around, already walking towards the exit, heels clicking against the concrete floor as she does. “My only ulterior motive is getting you out of this workshop and upstairs to meet with your stylist and get ready. This is important Tony. The stylist is not going to wait forever, and neither am I.” She holds the door open with her body and flicks her head towards the staircase behind it. “Come on, the clock is ticking, Anthony.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s concentration has been returned to the engine. “I’m still not going,” he says, fidgeting with some very dangerous-looking wires. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper groans in exasperation, her head falling back against the door. “Tony for the love of god!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to go,” Tony nearly whines out. “These things are awful, Pep. It’s endless chit chat with horrible boring rich people pretending to care about a cause absolutely none of them will have even heard of until a few hours before. The food is always bad, the music is worse, and there isn’t enough booze in the world that could make listening to Joe Drummond III — or whoever they have giving the keynote address — bearable.” He looks at Pepper with a pleading expression. “Is it not enough that I’ve given whatever this organization is millions of dollars? Can’t I just send someone a fruit basket or a car and say I’m sick?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper offers Tony a dark look before taking a very deep breath. “Anthony Edward Stark. 10 months ago you stood in the middle of your living room and you made me promise, </span>
  <em>
    <span>promise </span>
  </em>
  <span>that I would not let you miss out on doing more work for your mother’s foundation when the opportunity arose for you to do so. This is that opportunity. It is a gala full of people who represent organizations that need funding from your foundation. It is not a bunch of rich people in Prada talking about a cause they know nothing about, it is a bunch of professionals from non-profits talking about causes they work every day to advance. And that’s something you would know if you read any of the emails I sent you, looked at any of the information that I put on your desk every day, or listened to even one word that comes out of my mouth.” She shoots daggers at Tony who, at the moment, looks like a kid who has been called out by a teacher for not paying attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, since I am not the kind of person who breaks promises to her friends, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to get up, you’re going to go upstairs, you’re going to put on a tux, you’re going to go to this gala and you’re going to mingle with the people who are in the running for your funding and that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>final</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” She finishes in a sort of deadly calm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony shoots her a sheepish expression. “Was that what Tonight was?” he asks, scratching his beard. Pepper nods her head once, sharply. “I thought it was one of those charity fundraisers you know I hate,” he informs her, letting out a guilty laugh. She shakes her head once, sharply. He smiles at her wearily, like he’s trying to be charming, but Pepper’s expression doesn’t break.  “I guess I probably owe you an apology for giving you such a hard time, huh?” Pepper just blinks at him.. “You know what I bet the best apology would be?” She just quirks a brow in response. “Going upstairs to get ready,” he supplies easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper pushes the door open wider with the clink of her heel and Tony flashes her a charming smile as he passes her by. She is supremely unfazed. “Collette is waiting,” she reminds him, one step behind as they climb the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” He confirms, taking the stairs two at a time, probably in an effort to demonstrate his eagerness to get back on Pepper’s good side. Pepper’s stony expression falters a little bit at the gesture, though she’s careful to school it back to neutral when he can see her again. The truth is, getting the man out of the workshop and up to the stylists is enough of a win that she’s happy, but she’ll let him squirm a while longer if it means good behavior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they get upstairs Tony fills up the entire room, offering Collette and her team of artists loud greetings as he’s walked through the look they have planned for the evening. Normally he’s pickier during this part, offering the stylists suggestions and making slight alterations on what they offer him, but this time he’s unnaturally agreeable and easy. Pepper sits to the side and works her way through emails as the man engages not just Collette but the entire team of stylists, make-up artists, and assistants in a lively conversation that lasts nearly an hour as they dress him and ready him for the event. She doesn’t miss the way his eyes fall over to her every few minutes, like he wants to include her in the conversation but keeps thinking better of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he’s finished and he steps out of the side room sporting a silk maroon blazer and some black slacks, the team erupts in applause at the finished product and he does a little spin for effect that shouldn’t be endearing to Pepper but it undeniably is. She loves it when Tony lets himself enjoy things. There are few parts of being Tony StarkTM that the man actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>likes </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing, but from her first day on the job when she’d first seen his personal closet, she’d known that indulging in fashion was definitely one of them. She lets herself glance up at his smiling face as he shows himself off, and her lips quirk in a small smile but doesn’t say anything, which is probably why he singles her out.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think, Pep? Do I look good enough to bring home to your mother?” He flutters his eyelashes at her and smiles sweetly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper eyes him from top to bottom before turning back to her laptop. “You look very nice, Tony. Maybe if you behave for the rest of the evening I’ll let you come home with me for Yom Kapor.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s eyebrows shoot up into his carefully styled hair and he smiles. “Well then,” his eyes twinkle in that way Pepper never really sees unless he’s talking to her.  “I’ll be an angel,” He remarks. She doesn’t feel like she needs to respond so she goes back to her emails, but after a moment she can still feel his eyes on her so she meets his eyes again, giving him a questioning look. “Is this what you’re wearing tonight?” He points at her outfit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She begins to glare, because she knows this game. Knows what he’s getting at. “Back home to eat Chinese take out and watch Law and Order? Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Pep,” he says, trying to look cute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” She responds firmly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it’ll be fun! Lots of young hard-working people who care about things to talk about. You love people who care about things,” he tries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She looks at him in exasperation yet again. This is beginning to become a ThingTM between them. This thing where he keeps trying to get her to go to events with him and she keeps saying no for a million and one reasons, not the least of which being that she’s very unsure of the capacity in which she’d been accompanying him. She picks the easiest of them to argue back with. “I don’t have anything to wear and I look like I’ve been at work all day. You’re leaving in 15 minutes. There is no way I could go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look great, you always look great,” He says easily as he turns to adjust a button on his shirt in a full-length mirror to the side of him. “Wear the Donna Karen I got you,” He finally says, not looking at her, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> looking at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper frowns. “What Donna Karen you got me?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirks. “The one I had custom-made and gift wrapped that’s sitting in the back of my closet next to a box of Dior heels and compliment it </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfectly.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper gapes at him, frown deepening. “W-why on earth do you have a custom-made dress and heels gift wrapped for me in your closet,” she splutters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw the material used for a different dress during fashion week and I thought it’d look nice with your hair. So I had Donna Karen send over some sketches and we worked something out,” He shrugs and then turns to look at her. “It’s your second anniversary with me next week. I thought I could give it to you then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper looks at him in disbelief. “You had Donna Karen design a dress for me for my second anniversary with S.I.?” She practically shouts, and she can hear her voice sound mad but she’s not sure if she is or just— just surprised. Surprised that he’s remembered her anniversary and surprised that he’d picked such an extravagant gift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought the material would look good with your hair!” He repeats, defensively. “Plus, Donna Karen is your favorite designer.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper narrows her eyes at him, a whole new wave of surprise hitting her. “How do you even know that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, because you told me. You mentioned it to me last year when we were in Monte Carlo for that conference. We were in the hotel room with Collette.” He turns to look at Collette who has a little knowing smile on her face. “You remember that?” He asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. I remember her trying to convince you that you should wear the shirt that I tried to put you in, and you not listening to either of us,” Collette chimes in with her thick French accent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper frowns from one and then to the other, getting up and walking towards the guest bedroom. “That was 18 months ago. You don’t even remember what you had for breakfast this morning!” She calls over her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe that’s because I’m too busy remembering the important things. Like your favorite designer and your anniversary.” Pepper can practically hear the smug smile on his lips. “And the fact that this event starts in less than an hour. You should probably start getting ready, the clock is ticking, Virginia.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper throws one of her workday heels at him. “I hate you,” she lies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finds the neatly wrapped box with her name written in lovely cursive lettering on the tag and opens it, she’s momentarily struck quiet. It’s the kind of dress she’d want for herself if she’d seen it in the window of a store, but knows she’d never actually be able to buy. The color, a rich emerald green, is a perfect contrast for her pale skin and red hair. The cut compliments her slender figure, moving in but then shooting out in ways that’ll draw attention to her long legs and prominent collar bones. The material is thick, soft silk. It’s gorgeous, really. Perfect. Simple in design but undeniably well made. The opposite of the kind of thing Tony tends to pick for himself, so much so that she’d be suspicious of the extent of his involvement if it didn’t also have pocket’s clearly tucked into the side and undeniable </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>about it that screams Tony. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind her she hears him walk into the room and she can tell just by his footsteps, he’s hesitant. “Do you like it?” he asks quietly. Nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks behind her and snorts. “You are so annoying.” She shakes her head, realizing that there are tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, and trying not to let them spill. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony smiles a tiny, unsure smile and she doesn't think she’s ever seen him look at anyone like this. “So you’ll wear it and come with me tonight?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She meets his eyes for a long moment, looking for something, some sign that she should go against her impulsive desire to say yes, but she doesn’t find it. She tries extremely hard to think of the numerous reasons she shouldn’t give in. She concentrates on him with a curious look. “Go with you tonight as what? Your assistant?” She asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony states back intensely for a long second before he shakes his head once. “As my friend,” He answers finally. “That’s what you called me before, wasn’t it? Your friend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper’s eyes don’t leave his as she nods, gesturing down to his shirt which is a suspiciously similar green color to her dress, though sheer and embroidered with small flowers. “We’re gonna match,” She points out. Tony nods, unblinking. His look makes her neck feel hot and her stomach unsettled. She tries desperately to cling to her objections. “People will think we’re dating,” she says in her most even tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s eyes flash a little wildly. “Oh no,” he mockingly frets. Then he lets his eyes move from her eyes as they trail over her body. “That would be so horrible…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper fights the urge to blush, instead, she forces herself to feign nonchalance as she shrugs and starts taking off her jacket. “Fine,” she huffs. “But only because my ex is gonna be there and I want to make him jealous when he hears me tell the press I’m wearing something you designed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony blinks in total surprise. “Your ex works for one of the organizations that’s in the running for my grant?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” Pepper confirms, taking the dress out of the box and unzipping it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony takes a second to process that as Pepper walks into the ensuite to slip the dress on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think he’ll be jealous of you wearing a dress designed by me?” Tony asks from the other room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Pepper confirms, realizing only once she’s pulled the bodice up that she’s gonna have to take off her bra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why,” Tony questions, shuffling over to the door to the ensuite just in time for Pepper to pull it open and turn so he can zip her up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because he hates you and thinks that you purposely ruined our relationship,” she explains, turning back around once he’s finished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s eyes move down her body again and this time he smiles. “Jarvis got your measurements just right,” he comments, smug on his A.I.’s behalf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper rolls her eyes and pushes past him to grab the Dior shoes out of the box in the closet. They too are gorgeous. Little black stilettos with an emerald interior that’ll just peek out past her toes. “It bothers me that you’re so good at this.” She holds the heel up with a glare to mask how much the gift kind of makes her want to cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Tony. The gift is wonderful, Tony. You’re such a good boss, Tony,” The man tries to mimic her voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper breathes a tired sight, slipping the heel on her foot. “Thank you, Tony.” The other heel finds its home. “The gift is wonderful, Tony.” She stands up straight and smooths out the silk of her gown, walking over to the man and stopping half a foot away from him. “You’re such a good boss, Tony,” She recites, with probably a touch too much sincerity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does your ex-boyfriend think I purposefully ruined your relationship?” He wonders aloud, ignoring her acquiescence to his previous suggested response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I’m good at my job and I like doing it, and he couldn’t comprehend the idea of me </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanting </span>
  </em>
  <span>to work as much as I do, so he assumed it was something else. You were his best guess,” She explains, moving to the mirror to fuss briefly at her high pony before just giving up and taking it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony makes a face. “Sounds like a tool,” he comments. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pepper laughs at that, raking her fingers through her red locks as they flow down over her shoulder in an admittedly pretty decent shape. It’s big from having been pull back all day, but the ends are still curled like she’d had them in the ponytail, and the result is acceptable as an evening look. “He is,” she tells him, smoothing out one section of hair before turning around to face the man with a smile. “So let’s go make him jealous,” she says, offering him her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s face breaks out into a grin. “Yes ma’am,” he agrees easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  
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